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Zahvwa
Overview The Zahvwa peoples are located mostly in the dense jungle island of Zahvwan. They are an inquisitive and superstitious people. The island itself is located to the west of Rimal Al'ajdad. Inhabitants from the island are known to be extremely adaptive to their environment, in fact those that leave the island thrive in other cultures. They learn traditions and languages of other outside sources fairly quickly and are said to be the most likely to have The Gift. Government A sense of "government" is a rarity in the dense, dark jungles of Zahvwan. The semblance of order and peace within the dangerous island is dictated by the tides of the constant fighting between the four main tribes of the Zahvwa people. Avare Located in the west of the island, the Avare tribe is a mostly peaceful group of people. Focused on trading and sustaining their peoples well being, the Avare tribe is neutral towards the island's other tribes and Alenthyl as well, surprisingly. Many of the Zahvwa people leaving the island for other places in the realm hail from the Avare tribe. Bafang Located in the east of the island, the Bafang tribe is the most hostile of all four, wishing to forcefully unify all tribes under themselves. The Bafang believe that the Alenthylians should pay for their constant invasion of the Zahvwan tribal lands and are completely hostile towards the many developed nations and kingdoms of Aevonhold. Chema Located in the middle of the island, the Chema tribe wishes to split the island into two tribal lands occupied by both Chema and Avare, eradicating the Bafang completely. A majority of the Chema tribe does not leave the island whatsoever and view the rest of Aevonhold with distrust. Congawi A dying tribe located in the surrounding islands in the north and west of Zahvwan, the Congawi tribe uses dangerous sorcery to attack others not with their tribe. They are extremely hostile. Military As the Zahvwan tribes are largely split by hostility, there isn't much room for organized military within Zahvwan. At most, the largest military force within Zahvwan would be comparable to the Bafang tribe. Religion The Zahvwa believe in Poskitt and the teachings of The Mother, whom they believe to be a distant traveler from a world far greater than Aevonhold, a utopia realized. They believe that The Mother loved her creations too strongly and was cast out, into Aevonhold, giving life to all. When The Mother was done creating the the realm and after setting everything in motion, she retired into a deep slumber, never to awake. While sleeping, Zahvwa believe that The Mother interacts with all of Aevonhold as if in a waking dream, maintaining all life and balancing the world so that it does not fall into chaos. The Zahvwa believe that by appreciating the natural world, all who walk the path that has been laid before them will inevitably lead back to The Mother. The Zahvwa believe that all others that do not heed the teachings of The Mother are stubborn, and unintentionally introduce a disease to the world that threatens all of The Mothers creations. History Quirks Overview The Zahvwa are a proud and protective people, living in secluded tribal villages spanning large areas, with some villages housing more than 400 people. Superstitious and aware of nature, the Zahvwa people can be found planting and protecting twice as much as they harvest and tend to build their lives around their environment as much as possible, rather than uproot any existing life in the settled regions. Beautiful music and celebration can be heard from the island's villages. These spread camaraderie and high spirits throughout the harsh environment in an attempt to keep life vibrant and enjoyable. Appearance Zahvwa 1.png Kamari.png With earthy skin tones, dark eyes and hair in all different shades, the Zahvwa are a people have little change of appearance on such a small bit of land they call home, Zahvwan. Many drink and eat from clean, untouched land and as such, their teeth and skin reflect a life of nobility in any other continent. Naming Conventions Zahvwa names abide by the following scheme: http://www.behindthename.com/names/usage/african Practices Living on the island of Zahvwan is not an easy life, though it can be quite rewarding. Most of the tribes on Zahvwan have no reason to leave their ancestral homes because they live so close to the natural resources needed for a sustainable life. Women in Zahvwa culture are treated different from men. While men are educated, women are taught to tend to children or to cook. Clothing With no necessity for warm clothing or protection in the generally warm climate of Zahwan, much of traditional clothing does not exist in Zahvwan. Clothing is sometimes not worn at all, men especially cover their bodies in scars and paints. When clothing is made, it generally consists of palm plant fiber or simple cotton woven into fabric. Shell and painted wooden beads are worn in the hair commonly by men and women and a sign of a connection with The Mother in Zahvwa culture. Animal skins are sometimes worn, though only in harsh conditions such as cold storms or during fishing in the early mornings. Food While the people of Zahvwan will occasionally hunt for small game and birds on the inner portions of the island, most of a typical Zahvwa diet consists of tropical fish and small trapped game. Using poison made from the local plant life, Zahvwa use darts in order to stun fish before netting them, this process is usually occurs near the shores and inlets of the island. Spear fishing is also quite common, but is carried out in fishing parties with as many as 50 small rafts being used by a large portion of the tribe. When small game is trapped or captured on the island, most of the animal is used in a variety of ways in order to protect and give thanks to The Mother. Marriage When a Zahvwa man wishes to marry his chosen bride, he must present the womans family with a collection of jewelry and an amount of gold he deems fit for his chosen bride. If she accepts, the wife is to live with the husband until the wedding day. On the wedding day, the bride is to have henna tattoos drawn on her hands and feet and both the bride and groom are to be seated on a raised platform during the ceremony. After the ceremony, the bride is to live with the husbands family until her pregnancy. Afterwards, she is to return home for the next three to four years. During this period, the groom is not to express interest in her nor the baby. After this three or four year period, the bride and her baby may live with the grooms family. A man may have as many wives as he can afford, usually he has two or three wives. If the husband dies, his brother must become the new widows husband, treating any children in the marriage as his own. Slavery Slavery is treated as the lowest of crimes in Zahvwa culture, with a tumultuous relationship with larger empires and slaving companies, some villages have been entirely poached and ransacked, with their inhabitants being sold off to the Ulyssian Empire or being forced to work on ships far out in the Aurosi Expanse. Education Formal education is not commonplace in Zahvwa culture. Most of the tribes teach children natural and practical skills throughout their younger years. Over the years, some formal education has taken hold in smaller villages and mainly within the Avare tribe, though this education extends only to males and covers a sparse amount of topics, usually teaching common and skills related to trading, such as navigation and business. Magic The Zahvwa believe that all magic, be it Light, Dark or Arcane are gifts from The Mother and hold them dearly. Many Zahvwa are taught from a young age the dangers of the Arcane, and the wonderful things that can be done with such power. Funerals Many Zahvwa people believe that death, while a terrible and emotionally heavy event ends in the deceased person becoming closer with The Mother and as such, should remain physically closer with her. Burials usually take place quite close to the place of residence, sometimes even being buried underneath the house. If the person is buried away from the house, special steps are taken to ensure that the deceased does not attempt to wander back home, such as taking a zigzag path to the burial site or bringing the deceased outside of the home feet first, symbolizing a forward facing journey into the embrace of The Mother. Category:Cultures Category:Browse Category:Aurosi Cultures